See you later
by Alle
Summary: Buffy's dying, and this is her final


Title: 'See you later?' 1/1  
Rating: PG 13 I think,, but let me know if you  
disagree  
Disclaimer: All characters used belong to Joss Whedon,  
Mutant Enemy, Fox etc. Please don't sue - I have no money!  
Spoilers: None really, it's set in the future.  
Feedback: Yes Please! But please be gentle, because  
this is only my second fic ever. E-mail is:   
alle_reel@yahoo.co.uk  
Summary: Set in the future, probably a few years down  
the line. Buffy's dying,, and this is her final  
moments with Riley. There's a little bit with Willow  
and Riley first though. Buffy does die at the end  
though, (not because I don't like her - she's actually  
one of my favourite characters - I just had this story  
idea, and it wouldn't have worked as well, I don't  
think, if she survived at the end), so some people may  
not want to read. You have been warned!  
Authors note: Sorry, if the medical things aren't  
right, but my knowledge of all things hospital comes  
down to ER, and the odd episode of Casualty (British  
ER).  
Authors note 3: I was watching ER last night (it was  
the ep were Carol left) and the idea for this just  
came to me. I wasn't actually planning on writing it  
for a few days, what with real life and stuff, but I  
ended up not being able to sleep, because I needed to  
get the idea out. Therefore, this is probably not very  
good, because I was writing this when I was very  
tired. Why am I making excuses? This probably isn't  
very good, because I wrote it!  
  
Here goes. Enjoy!   
  
*****  
"Willow! Am I too late? She's still..." Riley tried to  
complete his sentence, but he couldn't bring himself  
to say it, just in case.  
  
Willow nodded, tears starting to stream down her face,  
for what seemed like the millionth time in the past  
hour. "She's still with us. But, um, you might want to  
get in to see her soon." Willow's bottom lip started  
to tremble, as she thought about what she was going to  
have to say to Riley next. "You might want to say  
goodbye, you know, just in case. The Doctors sat that  
there's nothing else they can do for her. They've done  
everything they can already, Riley, If anything  
happens now, they...they can try, but basically, the  
chances aren't that good. They said to think about  
taking out a DNR. You know what one of those is?"  
Willow quietly said, her vision blurring through the  
tears.  
  
"Yeah, they told me about that before. It means if she  
starts to...go, they'll make her as comfortable as  
they can, but they won't do anything, right?" Riley  
asked, wanting to be proven wrong so much, but knowing  
he wouldn't be.  
  
Willow slowly moved her head up and down, as Riley  
pulled her into a hug. "You want to do it Riley?"  
Willow asked, apprehensively. She felt Riley nod.  
  
"Yeah. Ever since they said Buffy had this, she's been  
through nothing but pain. If she can go quietly, no  
pain.... then, that's what she'd want, and she always  
knew best. But, I gotta do it now. I have to sign this  
thing before I see her. Once I look at her hair, and  
her eyes, theres no way I'm gonna be able to let my  
baby go without a fight. But I know it's time. I have  
to let go. She's been through enough, and I love her  
to much to see her like this."  
  
*****  
  
As Riley stepped into the room, he saw a number of  
machines surrounding the bed, monitoring his wife. She  
looked so perfect. She was pale, and had lost a lot of  
weight in the past few months, and her limp gold hair  
fell in sections around her head, on the crisp white  
pillow. She looked ill, but Riley could see past all  
that, to see his beautiful wife lying there.  
  
He sat in the chair next to the bed, and took Buffy's  
tiny hand into both of his. Slowly, he opened his  
mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out, instead  
rivers of tears silently meandered down his cheeks.  
After a few moments, he opened his mouth to speak  
again.  
  
"Buffy, I want you to know that I love you so, so  
much, and you must never forget that, okay? People are  
saying that I should say goodbye to you, but I'm not  
going to do that. I can't. We are a part of each other  
now, and there will always be a part of you with me,"  
Riley whispered.  
  
Slowly, Buffy opened her eyes. "Riley?" Her voice was  
so quiet that she practically mouthed the word.  
  
"Buffy, don't speak, not if you don't want..." He was  
stopped when he noticed that she was trying to make a  
'shhh' noise, telling him to be quiet.  
  
"Riley, I love you," she whispered. He nodded,  
mouthing 'I love you, too' back, unable to speak.  
Buffy opened her mouth again "See you later?" She  
looked directly into Riley's eyes, as he nodded.  
  
Riley watched his wife close her eyes, and he gently  
laid his head next to hers on the pillow. He listened  
for a few moments, as her breathing gradually slowed,  
before stopping, as machines all around started  
beeping. But Riley just lay there, next to his wife.  
'She wasn't going to hurt anymore,' he had to keep  
telling himself.  
  



End file.
